Thread-cutter



(No Model.)

L. c. HATHAWAY. THREAD GUTTER.

No. 581,720. Patented May 4, 1897.

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UNirn STATES armut OFFICE.

LYDIA CAROLINE IIATIIAVAY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

THREAD- CUTTER.'

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,720, dated May 4,1897.

Application iiled July 14, 1896.

To all whom, t 17a/ty concern:

Be it known that I, LYDIA CAROLINE HATH- AWAY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri,have invented a new and useful Thread-Gutter, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to cutters for thread, twine, and the like, andparticularly to that class designed for use upon sewing-machines,tables, and other similar objects.

The invention aims to provide a device of the character mentioned whichshall be simple in construction and adapted for quick and easymanipulation, so as to place the same either in operative or inoperativeposition, and, further, to embody in such device simple and efficientmeans for preparing the thread, when cutting the same, so that the endof the severed portion may be readily passed through the eye of aneedle.

To this end the invention consists, substantially, in the construction,combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fullyillustrated, described, and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a cutterconstructed in accordance with the present invention, the cutting-bladebeing in open position. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof.Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectionalplan view. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the cutting-blade.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe figures.

Referring to the drawings, 1 1 designate two parallel plates, which maybe formed of any suitable material, and one of said plates is providedwith an angular upwardly-exl tending clip 2, by which the cutter may besecured to a sewing-machine, table, or other similar object. The clip 2,as illustrated, has a strip 3 of rubber or its equivalent fastenedthereto at its inner face, and said strip prevents abrasion of thesurface to which the cutter is applied when said clip is securedthereon.

The parallel plates 1 1 are spaced a slight distance from each other,and pivoted in such space at one end of said plates is the flattenedshank 4 of a segment-ally-curved blade 5, the latter havingits sidestapered, so as to form at Serial N0. 5991126. (No model.)

its outer end a cutting edge 6. Adjacent to the cutting edge (5 theblade 5 is milled to provide a file 7, over which the thread may bedrawn prior to cutting the same on lthe edge 6. By drawing the threadover the le 7 and then severing such thread the end of the severedportion will thereby become pointed, and thus easily passed through theeye of a needle to thread the same.

Arranged longitudinally between the plates 1 1 is a spring S, one end 9of which is enlarged, and by means of this enlarged end said spring issecured in any suitable manner, preferably byrivets, between saidplates. The other end of the spring normally contacts with thefiat-tened shank 4 of the blade 5, to hold the latter closed, and seatsitself against a shoulder 10, formed in said shank, when the blade 5 isopened to its greatest eX- tent, thereby limiting the outward swing ofthe blade 5 and holding the same in open position.

lVorking in alined threaded openings 11, formed in the plates 1 1, is aclamping-screw 12, having one of its ends provided with a disk 13,adapted to bear against the under side of the surface to which the clip2 is attached, and formed at one sideV ot' the iiattened shank 4 is anotch 14, in which the screw 12 tits when the blade 5 is closed, asshown by dotted lines in Fig. 4. By reason of the screw 12 fittingwithin the notch 14 it will be seen that the former serves as a stop forthe blade 5, and said blade will be held in a position to beconvenientlygrasped when it is desired to swing the same open, a knob 15being formed thereon to permit such movement.

The operation and advantages of the hereindescribed cutter will bereadily understood by those skilled in the art.

The clip 2 is placed over the edge of a sewing-machine, table,orothersimilar object and the clamping-screw 12 rotated so as to bind thedisk 13 against the underside of the surface to which said clip isapplied. The blade 5 is then swung open, as illustrated in Fig. 1, andwhen it is desired to cuta piece of thread the latter is first drawnover the file 7 and afterward severed by means of the cutting edge 6,the file 7 leaving pointed the severed end, so that the same may bereadily passed IOO through the eye of a needle to thread the same. Toclose the blade 5, it is simply necessary to swing the same into theposition shown by dotted lines in Fig. 4, when the screw 12 will passinto the notch 14 and hold the blade in a position to be readilygrasped.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a cutter whichis simple in construction and bythe use of which much time may be savedin severing thread prior to passing the same through the eye of aneedle. The severed end will be pointed by the use ofthe file 7, andthereby overcome the objections to the method ordinarily employed.

Vhile my improved cutter is especially adapted for use uponsewingmachines, tables, and other similar objects where thread isemployed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to suchapplication, as it will be obvious that the invention may be used toadvantage in stores, mills, and other places, and it will further beseen that twine, cord, and the like may be as easily severed as thread.Vhen, however, the cutter is to be used for twine, the file 7 will bedispensed with, but for thread such file will be retained, asillustrated in the drawings.

It will also be understood that the knob 15 is not an essential part ofthe cutter, and may be omitted without affecting,` the use of 'theinvention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is-

1. A thread cutter, comprising parallel plates, one of which has aportion bent up to form a securing-clip, a cutter-blade pivotally andspring heid between the pla-tes and adapted when swung out to projectforward of the clip end of the plate, and means for securing the plateto a suitable base, said means forming a stop for the cutter-blade tolimit its inward movement as specilied.

2. A cutter of the class described comprising parallel plates, one ofwhich has one end bent up to form a securing-clip, a cuttingblade havingone of its ends provided with a cutting edge, and its other end formedinto a flat shank portion pivoted between the said plates, a springheldbetween the plates adapted to lock the blade in its open and closedposition, and a clamp-screw passed through the said plates to oppose theclip portion, said screw forminga stop to limit the inward movement ofthe blade, substantially as shown for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing` as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LIDIA CAROLINE HATIIAWAII Vitnesses:

WM. JONES, ANNA L. JONES.

